California's SB 721 (AKA the Deck Inspection Bill) - Poof It's Gone!

California's SB 721 (AKA the Deck Inspection Bill) - Poof It's Gone!

On Jun 20, 2018 this bill was amended, removing the section applying this requirement to community associations. So this upcoming (dreaded) requirement has disappeared for community association housing. Click here to see the amended bill.

But let me take a moment to comment on this issue. This bill was triggered by six deaths from a collapsed balcony in Jun of 2015. Association Reserves stands on the principle of setting our clients up for an improved future. A balcony collapse should not be a part of anyone’s future.

I do not know the reasons this requirement was removed. I do know that some have argued that this bill was not applicable, while others have argued it would have been financially burdensome for struggling community associations. I agree that the cost of compliance may have been “significant”, and we addressed the mechanism for how an association can afford this expense in a prior blog post. . But I would argue that associations have a responsibility to afford many expenses in our complicated modern world, including those that provide owners with a reasonable expectation of safety. As such, I encourage those of us in the community association industry to never hide behind the excuse that “associations can’t afford it”.